The anthropogenic Šalek lakes (Lake Škale, Lake Velenje, and Lake Družmirje) represent a particular type of artificial lakes. They resulted from natural resource exploitation, i.e. lignite coal excavation in the Velenje basin, due to the subsidence over the abandoned parts of the Velenje Coal Mine, which has been in operation since 1875. The rural settlements and hamlets (Škale, Družmirje, Preloge, etc.) in the areas where the lakes are now located have partly or completely disappeared. Today’s names of the lakes are reminiscent of the submerged settlements. Mining has transformed the former river landscape into lakes. As the coal mine still operates, the Šalek lakes keep growing. As sources of water, even artificial lakes as standing surface waters are crucial for nature and people. They influence the local climatic conditions and, through proper management, contribute to the creation of secondary biotopes, i.e. encourage a greater diversity of flora and fauna. They also represent a development opportunity for tourism, sports, and recreational activities. At the same time, their lower selfcleaning capacity, in contrast to flowing waters and natural lakes, makes them extremely sensitive lake ecosystems. On the one hand, the present contribution will underline the adverse effects of human activity on the environment. On the other hand, however, it will also highlight the importance of recognising environmental degradation and the suitable way of approaching and tackling these issues to transform the once critical ecological hotspots into features with the potential for further development. In the Velenje basin, the mining and energy industries have significantly impacted the degradation of the natural and social environment in the framework of intensive industrialisation since World War II.